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UNITED STATES PATENT CEEICEo GERRIT S. RICE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINCIS.

MUSIC-CHART.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 228,889, dated June 15, 1880.

Application filed July 26, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GERRTT S. RICE, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in the Art or Science of Teaching Music, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The nature of my invention relates to a musical chart or diagram, as shown in the drawings, to be used in connection with the key-board of a piano or organ 5 and it consists of a central key-note indicator or governingpoint, indicated by a proper character printed on the face of the chart. Ou each side ofthe central key-note pointer, and running right and lefttherefrom, I have placed at certain stated intervals a series of' appropriate indicating-characters, and all arranged with ref'- erence to the central key-note pointer, and which indicate or point to the proper keys to be struck on the key-board of the instrument. These indicating-characters are spaced off in intervals and families, as required by the specific laws of harmony and thorough-bass.

The index-pointers l have divided into three groups or harmonic families, the first or principal group being composed of the first, third, and fifth intervals from the governing key-note, the spacin gs bein g as follows: the first being the key-note center; the third, two and one-eighth inches from the key-note, (except for minor keys, when it is only one and fiveeighths of an inch,) and the fifth being three and three-fourths inches above the key-note. rhis is called the tonic family, the root or principal bass for the left hand being six and three-eighth inches, or one octave, below the central key-note.

rIhe second or subdominant chord is composed of the fourth, sixth and eighth, or first intervals from the key-note, the pointers for which are spaced as follows: the fourth, two and ive-eighths inches from the key-note; the sixth, four and three-fourths inches from the key-note, (for minor keys the sixth interval will always be fiatted to four and onefourth inches from the minor key-note5) the eighth is the octave, and is six and threeeighths inches from the key-note, the root or principal bass for the left hand being three and three-fourths inches below the key-note.

The third or dominant family, being composed of the fifth, seventh, second, and also the fourth intervals, (the use of the fourth in this family produces what is known as the chord of' the seventh,) the pointers being spaced as follows: the seventh, five-eighths of an inch below the key-note; the second, one and one-sixteenth of an inch above the keynote; the fourth, two and fve-eighths inches above the key-note; the fifth, three and threefourths inches above the key-note, the root or bass for left hand being two and threefourths inches below the key-note.

Each of these chord families has three different positions of the same intervals. Position in music refers to the same intervals in a different order, the distance of each member from the key-note being precisely the same as hereinbefore stated.

My arrangement ofthe intervals, in combination with the key-note, is generic. For instance, any song or melody written in the key of C can be transposed either higher or lower with equal facility to B-flat, or any other key that may be desired. rIhe same relative harmonies or combinations always produce exactly the same relative result, whatever may be the key-note or starting-point.

rIhis chart or diagram is so arranged that it will apply with equal facility to all the keys known. to the science of music. By simply moving the chart on the key-board of the instrument so as to bring the central or governing pointer over the desired key-note, the other pointers will always indicate theexact harmonies of any possible keymajor or minor. For minor keys use the minor M3d and Moth, as shown on the chart, Figure l of thc drawings.

Any student desiring to understand the tonic chord and all of' the intervals making up the same can easily and almost instantly analyze this chord or family by referring to y the row or line of figures (colored red) near the bottom ofthe chart, and marked Tonic Chord.77 Each figure or indicator in this row will stand precisely over the exact keys to bc struck when the chart is on the key-board of the in- IOO strument, at once registering` the intervals, Sto., governing this family. The student will see, by studying the notes connected therewith, that any key-note combined with a major third (two whole steps) and a perfect fifth (three and one-half steps) above key-note in any order will always produce the tonic family. Every piece will always begin and close with the tonic family. The dotted lines after the word Tonic show that the student is to play this chord in connection with the song or melody until he comes to the vertical line or bar shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings and marked ou the chart. This bar shows that the chord family is now to be changed for the one next named. rIlhe student will now see that the chart not only shows what chords to play with each melody, but also just when to play them, by thel separating lines or bars, and also their exact location on the key-board of the instrument and the exact intervals which make up each chord family in any position or inversion.

The subdominant family is made up of the fourth, sixth, and eighth intervals of any key in any order, and the student can fully understand and analyze this chord by studying it in same manner as directed for the tonic family, remembering that by the subdominant family is meant the second row of figures (white) on the chart. The indicatingcharacters in this row will always stand directly over the keys to be struck for this chord family when the central key-note, hand, or indicator (colored red on the chart) shall point to the desired key-note. By noting` the number of steps and half-steps from the key-noteviz., a perfect fourth (two and one-half steps) and a major sixth (four and one-half steps) and an octave from key-note or l-the intervals of this family or chord, as set forth, and the principles of intervals governing the same will become indelibly impressed upon the students mind. The term Snbdominant77 is written under the song or melody to show that this family is required until the student comes to a vertical line or bar, (marked on the chart,) which indicates the termination of that family, and means to change to the next family named.

In minor keys the key-hand will be placed on desired key-note; but the third and sixth must be omitted and the minor third and sixth substituted, as shown bythe black squares m3 and m6, the m3 only in the minor tonic chord,

and the minor sixth only in the minor subdominant family.

The dominant family (or element of every key) is made up of the fifth, seventh, and second intervals of every key, and by adding the fourth to this combination the chord known as the dominant seventh will be produced. The student will master this family substantially as he has the other two, noting that on the chart the dominant family always refers to the third or lower row of gures (colored blue) and marked Dominant Family.77 Each figure or indicator in this family will always stand plumb over the keys to be struck for the dominant family in any desired key if the central key-note hand be placed over the desired key-note. The intervals will be seen to be in this family a perfect fifth (three and one-half steps) and a major seventh, (five and one-half steps,) and major second (one step) from central key-note; also a perfect fourth (two and one-half steps) may be added, giving chord of dominant seventh.

I use preferably the term family instead of chord,77 because, unlike the old thoroughbass method, which gures all intervals from the written bass only, I ligure all intervals from the central key-note, only noticing the inversion of chords, not as different chords, but as a different order of the same family. Thus the term tonic family I design shall embrace the tonic chord and the chord ofthe sixth, and the chord of the sixth and fourth, because they are all made up of the same intervals from the central key-note, being simply a different order.

It will be seen that while the hands or indicating-characters on my chart are local for piano and organ, yet the intervals taught thereon being laws and principles, and applying to all keys alike, are not local, but apply to all possible musical calculations and to all musical instruments.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A music-chart provided with the lines, figures, and characters, as herein shown and described, and all being arranged with reference to the central governing key-note hand or pointer A, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The music chart as hereinbefore described, provided with the lines, figures, and indmating-characters, as shown, and all being arranged with reference to and surrounding the central key-note, A, in combination with the key-board of a piano, organ, or other like musical instrument, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

GERRIT S. RICE.

Witnesses L. A. BUN'rnve, L. B. GoUrLAND.

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